Double transplanting method helps boost yield

Farmers in Sylhet division are now busy preparing the land for Transplanted Aman (T-Aman) paddy cultivation.

Some 16,616 hectares of land seedbed have already been prepared against the target of 20,421 hectares of land, an official of DAE, Sylhet divisional office, informed on Monday afternoon.

The achieved seedbed area includes 6,783 hectares of land in Sylhet, 4,688 hectares in Moulvibazar, 2,480 hectares in Habiganj and 2,665 hectares in Sunamganj.

So far over 1,000 hectares of land have been brought under T-Aman farming in the region, the source said.

The division's target of production has been set at 973,793 tonnes while the targeted area is 384,005 hectares of land.

Additional director of DAE, Sylhet divisional office, Md Altabur Rahman said T-Aman farming is going on amid a good weather.

The region also experienced a good T-Aman production last year though severe and prolonged flood had damaged crop on 5650 hectares of land.

Some 43,782 farmers were seriously affected that time, the official added.

The crop was cultivated on 375,800 hectares in all the four districts of the division last. Per hectare yield stood at about 2.8 tonnes from high yielding varieties and 1.6 tonnes from local varieties, the official further said.

Our Naogaon correspondent adds: Double transplanting method of T-Aman paddy is gaining momentum in Badolgachhi upazila of the district.

The farmers achieved three to four maunds of extra production applying the modern method in growing the crop last year.

In a recent visit in Sadar, Mithapur, Mathurapur, Bilashbari, Balubhora, Kola, Paharpur and Adhaipur unions of the upazila this correspondent found that the growers first transplant the 30-day saplings from middle of July.

After around fifteen days, the saplings are again transplanted on the main land.

According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) officials, farmers of eight unions under the upazila will grow T-Aman on 12,760 hectares of land this season.

608 hectares of land seedbed have already been prepared, sources added.

Peasants have applied the method on over 200 hectares seedbed, DAE officials further said.

Upazila agriculture officer of Badogachhi Hasan Ali said a good number of growers have showed their interest in the new method as it helps boost T-Aman production.